Okay. So I guess I go to ehell for this one. I just don't see why someone would approach me that way if I was clearly in a bad mood.

I just don't know how anyone would know you were clearly in a bad mood by just observing you check out your items?

Indeed. How is someone supposed to tell that you're in a bad mood unless you have the little thundercloud over your head? In fact, I'm sure if the parallel to this was posted ("I tried to make a joke with a random person at the store today, but she was in a bad mood!"), there would be people calling the OP on their interesting assumption. "Maybe she comes from a family of leeches/Maybe your tone came across as serious/Maybe she really wants to but her bank account is already in overdraft."

Okay. So I guess I go to ehell for this one. I just don't see why someone would approach me that way if I was clearly in a bad mood.

I just don't know how anyone would know you were clearly in a bad mood by just observing you check out your items?

Or even if you appeared to be annoyed, perhaps he thought the joke would make you smile?

I am like you, OP, if I am having a rotten day, that kind of joke would annoy me, too, just because I wouldn't be in the mood for it. But I wouldn't assume the joker is a SS, the joke is serious, or that no one has the right to make a joke because I'm ready to scream. I'd probably just respond to the joker with a tight-lipped smile and leave it at that.

« Last Edit: June 10, 2009, 11:28:12 AM by snowball's chance »

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Ms. Megan

Honestly, and maybe it's because I work retail, but it drives me crazy to hear people say things like that. "You can pay for mine too- ha ha!"or"You have enough money; you buy this time!" "If it doesn't scan, it's free!" And so on ad nauseam.Any jokes about money like that annoy me, but I just play along. But it's just kidding around and the person certainly meant no harm. Why get so worked up over it?

Yeah, I really don't think he was deserving of the icy glare of death. Admittedly, those types of jokes irritate me as well, probably from working retail. I simply don't think they're funny, even when I'm in a good mood. I do find that it's better to go with a tired-looking smile that doesn't reach the eyes.

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there's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow

I am grateful for the friends I have made on EHell and everything I have learned, but it is time I move on.

Okay. So I guess I go to ehell for this one. I just don't see why someone would approach me that way if I was clearly in a bad mood.

The person didn't "approach" you--they were in line behind you and they made a very light joke. No one was expecting you to pay for their "crap." Your bad mood doesn't excuse your rudeness to the person in back of you in line.

You are not obligated to laugh at their joke, but what they said certainly didn't merit an icy glare.

Honestly, and maybe it's because I work retail, but it drives me crazy to hear people say things like that. "You can pay for mine too- ha ha!"or"You have enough money; you buy this time!" "If it doesn't scan, it's free!" And so on ad nauseam.Any jokes about money like that annoy me, but I just play along. But it's just kidding around and the person certainly meant no harm. Why get so worked up over it?

I've started catching myself before I say that, I've heard that all cashiers just get so annoyed hearing it all day. I try to cut back, some times it works. Not always, though...sorry cashiers out there!

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AFwife_3boys

Wow, guess I've been rude. I've jokingly said this. I don't see where he was assuming you had enough to pay or even expected you to. In my humble opinion, the icy glare of death was overkill. Your choice to use silence if you found it offensive was enough.

POD to this!

ETA - How is someone supposed to realize you are in a bad mood simply from watching you check-out? I'm not that psychic and I highly doubt anyone else is either.

In addition - I'M slightly offended that you assume that what they are buying was "crap".....that's just rude in my opinion!

Honestly, and maybe it's because I work retail, but it drives me crazy to hear people say things like that. "You can pay for mine too- ha ha!"or"You have enough money; you buy this time!" "If it doesn't scan, it's free!" And so on ad nauseam.Any jokes about money like that annoy me, but I just play along. But it's just kidding around and the person certainly meant no harm. Why get so worked up over it?

I've started catching myself before I say that, I've heard that all cashiers just get so annoyed hearing it all day. I try to cut back, some times it works. Not always, though...sorry cashiers out there!

Don't beat yourself up over it When I was a cashier, I would have much rather had a friendly customer using a joke I'd already heard 100 times that day, than a rude, SS customer. Yes, it gets old (quickly), but there's far worse things.

For example, don't pay entirely in pennies. And especially, don't send your young child through the line to buy a $25 item in small change (dimes and lower) to teach them how to save/pay for themselves. Especially if you're not going to roll the money at home OR help them count it at the register.